Faculty Bibliography

Recent debate on whether physicians should discuss gun ownership with their patients has centered on determining whether gun injuries are an issue of health or safety, and on protecting patient privacy. Yet, physicians' duties span personal health, public health, and safety spheres, and they often must address private patient matters. To prioritize gun safety and reduce gun injuries, the primary policy-driving question should be: will physician counseling on gun ownership effectively reduce gun-related injuries without interfering with the physician's other treatment obligations or compromising the physician-patient relationship? Existing data on physician-initiated conversations with patients about guns support a positive prevention effect. However, it is critical that physician-initiated discussions of safe gun practices are not motivated by, nor convey, disapproval of gun ownership. To be ethical, respectful, and efficient, the conversation should be standard between primary care providers and all of their patients (not limited to patient subsets); questions and education should be limited to topics of gun-ownership risks and storage practices; and the conversation must be framed without bias against gun ownership.

The products of synthetic biology may improve medicine, national security, environmental protection, and the economy, but under-regulated development could catastrophically compromise these endeavors. Considering the dangers exhibited by existing microorganisms and public access to tools of synthetic biology construction, the field's untested novelty implicates human health and safety. Further, social justice concerns are raised by the resources required to sustain a shift from a fossil fuel-based economy to a biofuel-based economy. Current regulations are insufficient to address these risks. Accordingly, regulations must be modified through amendments coordinated between the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Food and Drug Administration. Interagency regulation provides the strongest prospect for supporting beneficial developments while protecting against hazards unique to the field. This Article provides a brief history of synthetic biology and examines its public and private development. This Article also examines its potential benefits and risks and current applicable regulations, both national and international. It concludes with propositions for regulatory modification, and attention is given to domestic interagency regulation